Mumbai, Dec 14 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets was Friday trading 42.60 points up in the late afternoon session following healthy buying spree in metals, banks and auto stocks.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,217.96 points, was ruling at 19,271.86 points around 1.00 pm, up 42.60 points or 0.22 percent from its previous close at 19,229.26 points.

The index touched a high of 19,348.85 points and low of 19,193.11 points intra-day. The BSE midcap index was up 28.81 points, while the smallcap index edged higher by 5.19 points.

The wider 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was up 12.85 points or 0.22 percent at 5,864.35 points.

The BSE metals index was up 88.16 points. The bank index was trading higher by 88.14 points, followed by auto index, up 49.17 points.

However, the consumer durables index was down by 68.34 points, the power index was lower by 9.65 points and the healthcare index decreased by 8.97 points.

Among other Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.05 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was higher by 0.59 percent. China's Shanghai Composite Index was up 4.32 percent.